Car-fender.



No. 879,742. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908. A. L. COLE.

GAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

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No. 879,742. PATENTED PEI-3.18, 1908.

A. L. COLE.

GAR FENDER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

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WITNESS E: '5: g g fifltz m PATENT-ED FEB. 18, 1908.

A. L. COLE.

GAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 3;

No. 879,742. PATENTED PEB. 18, 1908.

A. L. COLE.

GAR FENDER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

rut No ms musk: cm, WASHINGTON z UNITED STATES PATENT orrron ALBERT L. COLE, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ADAMS D. OLAFLIN, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-FENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed June 1'7. 1907. Serial No. 379345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. COLE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders, of

- which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to the construction and operation of fendersfor railway cars, particularly cars operated upon street rail ways, and has for its object the provision of a safety appliance which shall be strong, con venient, certain in operation, easily adjusted to working position and as easily returned to a position of compact stowage under the end of the car, which offers a minimum of liability to injure persons struck and caught thereby, and which upon occasion can be operated by the driver of the car as well as automatically by actual contact or collision with a person upon the track.

The conditions under which street railway cars have been and are operated render it difficult to meet by mechanical compromise all of the requirements and to provide for all exigencies. Where as in many instances rigid fenders are employed usually in the shape of rectangular frames with a metallic lattice or basket work sustained by the frame, these have to be suspended at a suflicient height from the road bed or rails to clear ordinary obstacles such. as snow and ice or occasional stones which do not present any source of danger to the car itself. Suspend- I ing the fixed fender at such a height as this from the rails makes it, however, nearly, if

not quite, as much a source of peril to persons with whom the car may collide as the car itself, because there is room enough be tween the fender and the track bed for the fender to ride over a prostrate person, and injure him severely even though the car itself be stopped before any portion of the car body or trucks has reached the victim of the accident.

I am aware that flexible fenders have been employed, usually consisting of large and ungainly scoops or baskets made of bent wood extending downward from the dash of the car. These fenders hang very close to and often touch the road bed and tracks and consequently have to be turned or bent upward at their lower and forward end in order to enable them to ride over ordinary and insignificant obstacles and so that the fender may not catch and become damaged, so that While portions of such fenders lie near to the track, that portion which must first come into collision with a person in front of the car is sufficiently high up to ride over the body of the person, if he be knocked down. Such a fender, like the rigid fender, does not meet all the requirements. Moreover, these large scoop or basket fenders are an obstacle to many necessary operations such as towing or pushing a disabled car. If they are turned up against the dash they are awkward and unsightly and they are much too big to be swung under the car body. The flat metal fender frame sliding horizontally and rigid in its advanced position and having no provision for vertical adjustment is neat and handy enough from the point of view of everybody except the victim of a collision. It has demonstrated in many instances that it is a fender which will not always fend.

In the inventions and improvements herein to be described there is provided a fender which is retractable and collapsible into a compact space so that when retracted it does not add materially to the overall length of the car; which when advanced into operative position normally rides high enough to escape contact with all ordinary and insignificant obstacles upon the track; which responds instantly to the first contact with an object such as a person in front of the car and falls into contact with the rails or ground and when so released and in contact with the rails is self adjusting to any inequalities in the ground or track levels; which in falling to fending position retreats as well as descends so that it will not to any material extent advance against a person until it has fallen into contact with the track or ground. It is provided also, if desired, with a flexible shield which hangs slack so that a person falling into -it will be protected as far as possible from bruises or other injuries. It is also provided with. connections within the control of the driver of the car, so that it can be voluntarily released by him in case of need, even before it has come in contact with a person on the track. After this fender has performed its duty as such it is easily restored to its position of readiness to operate again. I

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing portions of the end of a street car and my improved fender in its normal position of readiness to operate for the protection of a person in collision with the car. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my improved fender in fending position after it has struck against a person on the track or after it has been tripped by the act of the driver. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing my improved fender retracted and partly under the end of the car; and Fig. 4 is a front view showing my improved fender in operative position after having been tripped.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, A denotes pivoted rigid arms hung at the two corners of the car body upon suitable brackets X which may be as shown secured to the corner standards C on the car body D. E, E denotes downwardly and rearwardly extending bars or pipes which are connected by means of quarter turns with the cross brace E, E, E constituting a U-shaped offset brace between the two depending arms A. This offset brace is secured at the two ends to T-shaped sleeves E fixed. upon the arms A. The arms A are normally held in position by the toggle struts composed of the members B, B jointed at B whereof one is provided with a lug B which prevents the toggle from breaking downwardly but permits it to be collapsed upwardly. The toggle member B is pivotally secured to the car body at B, and the member B to the clamp B at B. The lower ends of the arms A are forked as at A and at these forks there are suspended the toggle hangers composed of the two sets of members F and F and G, G, F and F being jointed and pivoted to the forks A at f and pivotally jointed to the members G, G respectively by means of the pins h, h. The toggle members G, G are also jointed and pivoted at G to the slotted block L, this look serving also as a suspending member for the frame P. A spring I secured at its two ends to the pins h, h exerts its stress to open the double toggle composed of the members F, F and G, G but is held normally under restraint by means of a catch such as J. Thus, the double toggle referred to constitutes an extensible hanger held normally in closed position and sustaining the fender frame at a suitably elevated point over the rails R. In the specific form of my invention shown in these drawings the catch J, of which there is one for each of the extensible hangers, consists of a lever pivoted at g to the block L, provided with a hook J which engages with the toggle joint pin f, and with a stop J against which the rearwardly extending arms K of the tripper rest and by which they are supported the arms K of the tripper are pivotally secured to the catch levers J by pins 76. The arms K of the tripper extend to and are joined by a transverse tripper bar K. As the tripper, consisting of the bar K and arms K, is sustained by the catch J, its weight tends to remove the catches from their hook engagement with the pins f and this tendency is counterbalanced by the springs J which are secured to the catches J and to the frame P and are normally under tension. The arms K are beveled 0d at their rearward ends so that the points 7c bear against the stops J these stops being, in the instance here shown, integral lugs bent out from the catch levers J. Upward movement of the tripper, consisting of the bar K and arms K, is prevented by the metal straps Q which are secured at one end to the frame P and at the other end hooked over the transverse tripper K.

By preference I provide also the flexible guard or fender O which, in the example shown in the drawings, consists of a sheet of so called woven wire fabric, secured at the lower edge at O to the frame P and at its upper edge 0 by means of snap hooks O to the rings 0*. This flexible guard O hangs slack so as to catch a person thrown into the fender with the least chance of his injury. The offset brace consisting of the bars or pipes E and the cross piece E, by its shape and arrangement affords the necessary space for the operation of the flexible guard sheet 0. This cross brace also as seen in Fig. 1 serves as a stop against too extreme upward and rearward movement of the pivoted portions of the fender, as it bears against the frame P when the entire fender is in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1.

A chain or. other suitable connection M secured at its front end to the tripper bar K and at its rear end to the bell-crank lever N, which is under the control of the. treadle N, serves either of two purposes, to wit: Should the car driver desire to release the fender and allow it to drop from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 he presses his foot upon the treadle N and pulls back the chain M, causing the rearwardly extending arms K of the tripper to press against the catches J and thus to release the hook ends J from engagement with the pins f, when the springs I assert themselves and thrust the extensible hangers downward so that the lower portion of the fender, including the frame and tripper, assumes the position shown in Fig. 2; also when the fender is automatically tripped, the chain M serves as a stay, to prevent the descending portions of the fender mechanism from swinging for ward and to constrain them to a retracting movement as they fall to the track. The two sides of the fender apparatus are independently and automatically adjustable because the two extensible hangers consisting of the toggle members F, F,and G, G may play up and down, accommodating themselves to any irregularities which the fender may encounter.

Should the above described fender strike against a person standing on or crossing the track, the first portion of the fender mechanism to come in contact will be the most forward portion of the mechanism, in this instance the tripper bar K .At the first shock of contact, the tripper bar and the attached arms K will slip the catches J out of engagement with the pins f and allow the extensible hangers to extend and descend, to place the fender in position to catch the person falling against or into it. When the fender is operated automatically in this manner, the flexible chain M causes the fender to swing backward as well as downward and prevent it from swinging forward against the object with which it has come in contact, so that the fender mechanism itself will retreat from the person in collision until it has fallen to such a position that by no possibilit can the fender fail to catch the person an prevent his being overridden.

When it is desired to move the fender under the car or to contract it as far as possible, the toggles composed of the arms B, B are bent upward and the arms A swung backward as far as they will go, then by means of a hook or strap S, which is made to engage with the transverse tripper bar K, the fender is secured in the position shown in Fig. 3.

1. The combination in a fender, of extensible hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the extensible hangers.

2. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, extensible hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches,

to trip the latter and release the extensible toggles in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles 5. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, hanger-toggles, means for suspending the toggles on a car, catches normally holding the hanger-toggles in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connec tions therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

6. The combination in a fender, of hangertoggles, pivotally suspended on supports therefor, the supports, means for suspending the toggles on a car, catches normally hold ing the hanger-toggles in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

7. The combination in a fender, of extensible hangers, springs to extend the hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position against the stress of the hanger-springs, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the extensible hangers.

8. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, extensible hangers, springs to ex tend the hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position against the stress of the hangersprings, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the,

latter and releasethe extensible hangers.

9. The combination in a fender, of extensible hangers pivotally suspended on supports therefor, the supports, springs to extend the hangers, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position against the stress of the hanger-springs, a

forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the extensible hangers.

10. The combination in a fender, of hanger toggles, springs to extend the hanger-toggles, means for suspending the hanger-toggles on a car, catches normally holding the hanger toggles in closed position against the stress of the hanger-toggle springs, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

11. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, hanger-toggles, springs to extend the hanger-toggles, means for suspending the hanger-toggles on a car, catches normally holding the hanger-toggles in closed position against the stress of the hanger toggle springs, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

12. The combination in a fender, of hangertoggles pivotally suspended on supports therefor, the supports, springs to extend the hanger-toggles, catches normally holding the hanger-toggles in closed position against the stress of the hanger-toggles, springs, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches, to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

13. The combination in a fender, of hangers consisting of double opposed toggles, means for suspending the said toggles on a car catches normally holding the said toggles in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the said toggles.

14:. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, hangers consisting of double opposed toggles, means for suspending the said toggles on a car, catches normally holding the said toggles in closed position, a forwardly proj ecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the said toggles.

15. The combination in a fender, of hangers consisting of double opposed toggles, said toggles pivotally suspended on supports therefor, the supports, catches normally holding said toggles in closed position, a forwardly projecting tripper, and connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the said toggles.

16. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, means to secure the upper portion of the guard on a car body, and its lower portion to a fender frame the guard hanging slack between the two securements, the frame, extensible hangers for the frame, means for suspending the hangers on a carbody, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, and means to trip the catches and release the extensible hangers.

17. The combination in a fender of a flexible guard, means to secure the upper portion of the guard on a car body and its lower portion to a fender frame the guard hanging slack between the two securements, extensible hangers from the frame, pivotally suspended on supports therefor the supports, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, and means to trip the catches and release the extensible hangers.

18. The combination in a fender, of extensible hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, said catches consisting of levers mounted on the hangers, and provided with hooks, pins wherewith said hooks engage, a forwardly projecting tripper, having arms pivotally secured to the catches and resting against the stops on the catches, said stops restraining pivotal movement of the tripper arms on the hangers in one direction.

19. The combination in a fender of two mutually independent extensible hangers, secured to the fender at each side thereof, a catch for each hanger, normally holding the hanger in closed position, a tripper common to the two catches, having arms projecting forwardly from the catches and a front transverse bar from side to side, and means to suspend the hangers on a car.

20. The combination in a fender of two mutually independent hanger toggles, at

each side a catch for each hanger-toggle normally holding the toggle in closed position, a tripper common to the twocatches, having arms projecting forwardly from the catches, and a front transverse bar from sideto side, and means to suspend the hanger-toggles on a car.

21. The combination in a fender of two mutually independent hanger-toggles, secured at each side, an expanding spring for each toggle, a catch for each hanger-toggle normally holding the toggle in closed position, a tripper common to the two catches, having arms projecting forwardly from the catches, and a front transverse bar from side to side, and means to suspend the hangertoggles on a car.

22. The combination in a fender of a frame, a pair of suspending arms, adapted to attachment to a car, hangers consisting of toggles, each joined by one member to a suspending arm and by the other to theframes at each side thereof, catches for each toggle, consisting of levers pivotally mounted on the frame and provided with hooks, pins on the suspending arms wherewith said hooks. engage, a tripper having forwardly projecting arms pivoted on the hanger catches and resting against stops thereon and a transverse bar from side to side in front of the fender frame.

23. The combination in a fender of a frame, extensible hangers secured to the frame, and to suspending arms, the suspending arms, means to secure them to a car, a rearwardly offset brace, secured to the suspending arms and extending from side to side of the fender frame, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed po sition, a tripper projectin forward of the frame, and connections t erefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the extensible hangers.

24. The combination in a fender of a frame, extensible hangers secured to the frame, and to suspending arms, the suspending arms, means to secure them to a car, a

rearwardly offset brace, secured to the suspending arms and extending from side to side of the fender frame, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, a tripper projecting forward of the frame, connections therefrom to the catches to trip the latter and release the extensible hangers, and a stay, secured at a point in the rear of the fender frame, to constrain it to a rearward movement on release of the hangers.

25. The combination in a fender of suspending arms adapted to securement to a car body, collapsible struts on the suspending arms, hanger toggles on the lower ends of the suspending arms, catches normally holding said toggle in closed position, a tripper, projecting forwardly from the catches to the front of the fender, connections between the tripper and the catches to trip the latter and release the hanger-toggles.

26. The combination in a fender of a rectangular frame, said frame hung at its sides to hanger-toggles, said toggles, toggle springs, suspending arms Whereon said toggles hang, toggle catches consisting of hooked levers, each lever provided With a tripper stop, tripper arms pivoted on said catc 16S and resting against the stops, said tripper arms extending forward of the fender frame, a tripper bar joining the tripper arms transversely in front of the fender frame, a stay secured at one end I to the tripper bar and at a point in the rear of the fender frame, and means to retract the stay to trip the catches.

27. The combination in a fender of extensible hangers, means for suspending the hangers on a car, catches normally holding the extensible hangers in closed position, said catches consisting of levers, provided with hooks, pins WhereWith said hooks engage, a forwardly rojecting tripper, suspended on said catchevers, and springs attached to the catch-levers, to counterbalance the Weight of the tripper.

Signed by me at Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts this third day of June 1907.

ALBERT L. COLE. 

